Pros and cons of having a rooster?!?!

[FuzzyDucky]

Hello everyone.
It is now well over a year since I started out with my LB's and CBT .. the ladies haven't let me down, even through the winter and these terrible few months (weather wise) they have each laid an egg right through... they are great!!
Anyway.. my question is as the subject bar says... what are the pros and cons of a rooster?
I am thinking of getting some bantams (not sure what yet.. am reading up on it ).. may be a trio ... after a while these will go in with the bigger girls.
I've been researching this and if you tread slowly you can get larger and smaller birds to live together (obviously separate coops)
I live between 2 farms with a main road along side the house.. so it isn't built up and I can't say the obvious cock a doodle dooing would bug anyone what with the constant mooing of milking cows one side of us and the steers mooing back the other :lol:
I am not sure I want to go down the chick line just yet but it may be something I'd look into further down the line.
What are your experiences?
Would this be a good idea or should I stick to hens?
Any advice would be lovely 17
Thank you in advance 99

 

[bantiekeeper]

Hi fuzzy duck, We are not allowed to keep roosters on the allotments so cannot comment on that but we do keep Wyandotte bantam hens, currently have five but two more coming soon. They are a delight to own but be warned they do tend to go broody a lot! :roll:

 

[FuzzyDucky]

Thank you for your reply )
I am here researching which would be the best ones to get )

 

[karminski]

i am not allowed cockerals ethier on the allotments but i am risking it with my little pekin one if i dont get a call over the next 2 days from the council then hes safe for at least a another week :lol: as the council woman only works our section of the borough 2 days a week so if you aint really got anyone close by then go for it .

 

[mightymohan]

i think the cockerels are the best bit about chicken keeping. watching them and the hens interact is really fascinating. i would always advise to get cockerels of the same breed as the hens or at the very least a similar size breed.

 

[Chuck]

Against:
Noise
They do pull the hens about. especially in a confined space with loss of feathers and sore backs sometimes.
They can sometimes be very aggressive

For:
Many are very good looking
They can help bring order amongst the hens, though not really needed in an established flock.

Would I keep a male if I didn't want to breed - no !

 

[FuzzyDucky]

Thank you all for your comments

I am still undecided.... I suppose at the moment.. it is just the case of giving one a home as the poor chaps do tend to get a hard time finding somewhere to live.

If I did get one then it'd be a bantam not a large one.

I think I am going to go and visit a few and see what they are like etc

 

[foxy]

I would for a soft feather bantam breed..these are just a smaller version of the large fowl, and do tend to have the same docile natures. You then have quite a wide choice, from tiny pekins, bantam brahmas, bantam sussex, bantam faverolles (my speciality! ) to name a few. If you do have plans to breed in the near future then the cockerel you choose must be the best quality you can get and to be sure you can get hold of some nice breeding stock in the future. Also have a think about what type of breed you would like to keep from ornamental, utility, or a mixture of both maybe a pretty bird that lays a reasonable sized egg but is still a useful backyard bird for example. If there is a rarity factor with your chosen breed, then selling on their offspring should not be too difficult either.

Good luck with your hunt, take your time with your research and do not be pressurised to take on anything, remember it is always the breeders responsibility to sort out their cockerels not yours! 17

 

[karlooben]

I have a silver partridge Peking bantam going free to a good home he's about 11 weeks old now he's got about a week to go if I cant find him a home then he will hAve to be culled

 

[chrismahon]

Adding to Chucks list FuzzyDucky:-

AGAINST -Extra feed and space required, but they don't eat anywhere near the amount of a laying hen.
Worth repeating, some can be positively nasty -choose wisely!

FOR -Defence against intruders. They will protect their girls and give them time to escape, assuming there is somewhere for them to escape to, like into bushes and up trees. Bantams particularly are suicidal in their protection of their hens.
They have a different vocabulary and range of expression to hens and can be real characters, which is why we have one as a pet.
Only with a cockerel present do hens live in a natural environment and they look for and come to rely on his leadership and guidance.

We will never be without at least one cockerel, although having more than one presents the keeper with new challenges.